Purbeck Valley Festival gears up for family fun

The four-day Purbeck Valley Folk Festival (16-19 August) is one of the biggest events in Dorset’s calendar and hundreds are set to flock to the lush, rolling hills of Purbeck Valley Farm for the popular festival.

Whether you’re camping or visiting over the weekend, families are spoilt for choice with all manner of colourful, quirky festival fun. Over 70 folk, roots and world music acts will all be celebrated.

There will be something for all ages with a line-up that includes Richard Thompson, Beth Orton, King Cresote, Trad.Attack!, and this year’s BBC Folk Award winner Siobhan Miller and nominees Elephant Sessions, O’Hooley & Tidow, Sam Kelly and The Lost Boys and many more.

But there’s so much more than great music to discover at the Purbeck Valley Folk festival. Festival-goers can get involved in lots of unexpected activities including kids workshops, poetry, storytelling, music and craft workshops, singing/tune sessions, a space-hopper obstacle course and the ever-popular beard competition.

Festival organiser Catherine Burke says: “Purbeck Valley Folk Festival is great for families and this year we have more kids stuff than ever. The site has enough room and grassy areas for them to run around – we even have room for the now famous space-hopper obstacle course!”

Another unexpected new addition this year is the Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society. Come and write a letter (or exclusive Purbeck Valley Folk Festival postcard) to whomever you wish, decorate the envelope, post in the Festival Postbox (delivered onsite), or use a stamp to send to someone near or far via Royal Mail.

There will be quills to play with, mini-workshops to help with the basics, stationery galore, pencil crayons to be arty, bunting to sign (and more) in an all-round letter writing bonanza.

Catherine added: “We’re always striving to be more than just another music festival and to create an unforgettable experience for the whole family. We have absolutely loads for kids, and unlike other festivals, all of these things are free. We believe that once you’ve paid to come into the festival, you shouldn’t have your kids pestering you for more money for this, that and the other. We decided that the money that comes in from kids tickets would be spent on cool stuff for kids, so that’s what we do.”

As well as some fantastic music, there will be lots of delicious food on offer. Foodies can tuck into chilli, Thai dishes, paella, pizza, crepes, posh burgers and Cuban sandwiches, gourmet grilled cheese toasties and roast haunch of venison. Vegetarians will also be well catered for.

Real ale and cider fans will be in heaven with a great selection of locally produced drinks to choose from. The best local breweries will be bringing you some of their finest tipples to keep festival-goers refreshed from draft beers to scrumpies and fruity ciders.

With so much to enjoy it’s worth snapping up tickets soon for the festival’s annual summer outing. Also, keep your eyes peeled for further acts to be unveiled over the coming months.

Tier 3 tickets are now available from £116 for the weekend (youth £61, children age 4–12 £36). Day tickets from £56 are also on sale.

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